Happy August! It’s the perfect time to soak up summer sun, go on picnics and enjoy vacations. It’s also National Wellness Month, a perfect time to address tobacco use and making a dedicated effort to quit.

Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in New York State, killing more than 22,000 New York residents annually. Each year an estimated 10,600 New York youth become new regular, daily smokers, and an estimated 280,000 youth currently alive in New York are projected to die early from smoking-related diseases.

When it comes to youth, e-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product. Over 2 million middle and high school students used e-cigarettes in 2023. This public health crisis of vaping collides with another increasing threat to young people: mental health. Vaping nicotine can intensify symptoms of depression and anxiety and increase stress levels. Current e-cigarette users have double the odds of having a diagnosis of depression compared to those who have never vaped, according to a 2019 Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) study of nearly 30,000 current e-cigarettes.

Nicotine pouches are a relatively new type of nicotine product gaining popularity, particularly among younger adults. They are small, discreet pouches containing nicotine powder, designed to be placed between the lip and gum. Unlike traditional tobacco products, they don’t produce smoke, vapor, or odor. While some see them as a safer alternative to smoking, concerns exist about their addictive nature and potential health impacts. 

“Nicotine is a highly addictive drug, and the tobacco industry has a long history of employing various strategies to maintain and expand its customer base, including introducing new products designed to appeal to new users, particularly young people,” says Jonathan Chaffee, Reality Check Youth Coordinator for Tobacco Free Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany counties (TF-CCA). “The good news is that there’s a service available to help tobacco users quit and begin a life independent from tobacco, e-cigarettes and nicotine products.”

That service is the NYS Quitline

Anyone who lives in New York State may contact the NYS Quitline by calling 1-866-NY-QUITS (1-866-697-8487). They can also visit nysmokefree.com to reach a specialist through an online chat, request a call-back or order free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) medications. The NYS Quitline additionally offers a variety of free texting programs for those seeking help at their fingertips. Learn2QuitNY and Vivir Sin Tobaco Es Vida (culturally tailored for Spanish-speaking communities) provide daily texts and weekly goals; text QUITNOW or DÉJELO YA NY to 333888 to register. The NYS Quitline’s latest texting service, DropTheVape, supports young people and young adults in their efforts to overcome nicotine addiction. Registration and more information is available at DropTheVape.com.

25 Years of Saving Lives

This year, the NYS Quitline, a service based at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, is celebrating 25 years of saving lives. Officials estimate more than 600,000 people in New York State have become tobacco-free through the NYS Quitline’s services, which include not only NRT medications but also individualized coaching and self-help materials. While fewer than 1 in 10 American adults achieve success upon trying to quit smoking, approximately 35 percent of NYS Quitline participants report continued abstinence upon a 7-month follow-up call by comparison.

New York State’s Pledge to Reducing Smoking-Related Death and Disease

The New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Tobacco Control funds TF-CCA to increase support for New York State’s tobacco-free norm through youth action and community engagement. Efforts are evidence-based, policy-driven, and cost-effective approaches that decrease youth tobacco use, motivate adult smokers to quit, and eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke.  TF-CCA is a program of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.